US Attempts to Destabilise Venezuela Post Chavez

How the US was aiming to divide Venezuela - 2004 - using NGOs in much the same way as in Bolivia including "Human Rights Lawyers." Non-violent measures only are mentioned here, but the scale of the operation and its clear intent to bring down an elected government is striking.

Recently released secret cables fromwikileaks have indicated high level interference by the US government in the affairs of Venezuela. A “S E C R E T SECTION 01 OF 04 CARACAS 003356 ” in the US Embassy in Caracas was charged with carrying out the following objectives in another sovereign democratic state ”In August of 2004, Ambassador outlined the country team’s 5 point strategy to guide embassy activities in Venezuela for the period 2004 ) 2006 (specifically, from the referendum to the 2006 presidential elections). The strategy’s focus is: 1) Strengthening Democratic Institutions, 2) Penetrating Chavez’ Political Base, 3) Dividing Chavismo, 4) Protecting Vital US business, and 5) Isolating Chavez internationally”.The cable details how the US had made available ” financial support upwards of $15 million” for the purpose of achieving its objectives. The cable gives detail of US financial support for many NGO’s including “Freedom House” [received $1.1 million] which describes itself as “an independent watchdog organization dedicated to the expansion of freedom around the world”. Simultaneously through “Development Alternatives Inc. (DAI), OTI had also provided 22 grants to human rights organizations, totaling $726,000″.The cable marked ‘secret’ clearly illustrates its ambition to demonize Chavez internationally and also raises serious questions about the ‘independent’ nature of many NGO’S.

This gives details of a soft, cultural war, in which systematic "vocabulary" changes are fostered, for example, by NGOs, amongst many other measures.
Possibly the most illuminating of the wikileaks that I've read.

Last edited by C. Flower; 05-04-2013 at 10:57 AM.

“ We cannot withdraw our cards from the game. Were we as silent and mute as stones, our very passivity would be an act. ”— Jean-Paul Sartre

Re: US Attempts to Destabilise Venezuela Post Chavez

As the post election conflict goes on, with Capriles faction being blamed for deaths in protests, an US NGO "vocabulary changer" arrested by the Venezuelan Government for allegedly paying youths to take part in violent right wing protests.

Earlier on Thursday authorities detained a US citizen, Timothy Hallet Tracy, who they accuse of trying to destabilise the country on behalf of an unnamed US intelligence agency."We detected the presence of an American who began developing close relations with these [students]," said the interior minister, Miguel Rodriguez, in a press conference. "His actions clearly show training as an intelligence agent, there can be no doubt about it. He knows how to work in clandestine operations."Rodriguez said Tracy, 35, from Michigan, had received financing from a foreign non-profit organisation and had redirected those funds toward student organisations.The ultimate aim was to provoke "civil war", he said.Friends and family of Tracy told the Associated Press that he had been in Venezuela since last year making a documentary. "They don't have CIA in custody. They don't have a journalist in custody. They have a kid with a camera," said Aengus James, a friend and associate of Tracy's in Hollywood, California, told the agency.In Washington, state department spokesman William Ostick said US consular officials in Venezuela were attempting to meet and speak with Tracy. He rejected Maduro's repeated allegations that the US is attempting to undermine Venezuela's government.

If this 35 year old is a kid, what does that makes the 19 year old arrested for the Boston bombing ?

Last edited by C. Flower; 26-04-2013 at 11:46 AM.

“ We cannot withdraw our cards from the game. Were we as silent and mute as stones, our very passivity would be an act. ”— Jean-Paul Sartre

Re: US Attempts to Destabilise Venezuela Post Chavez

Many of those killed were actually members of the PSUV ... The information you have brought is really just a confirmation from other sources ive seen of what is happening. The manipulation is orwellian and its a mixture of sutle and violent delegitimisation techniques.

Re: US Attempts to Destabilise Venezuela Post Chavez

Originally Posted by C. Flower

How the US was aiming to divide Venezuela - 2004 - using NGOs in much the same way as in Bolivia including "Human Rights Lawyers." Non-violent measures only are mentioned here, but the scale of the operation and its clear intent to bring down an elected government is striking.

This gives details of a soft, cultural war, in which systematic "vocabulary" changes are fostered, for example, by NGOs, amongst many other measures.
Possibly the most illuminating of the wikileaks that I've read.

Review the language used in the wikileaks article and its very threatening. The use of the word 'penetrate' in relation to getting into the political base of Chavez, unless they are feeling somewhat threatened there would be no need to enter into the politcal base of Chavez. US policy has not changed much under either Republican or Democrats in recent years towards South America..

History is the only true teacher, the revolution the best school for the proletariat - Rosa Luxembourg

Re: US Attempts to Destabilise Venezuela Post Chavez

Remember when you first learned what socialism was and somebody explained that it was nice in theory, but bad in practice? Here's the sort of thing they were talking about.

Venezuela is now suffering from a government-induced toilet paper shortage. The situation has become politically dire enough that the government has promised to import 50 million rolls to calm shoppers.
For those familiar with the Bolivarian Republic's less-than-sterling economic record of late, this won't come as a surprise. The country, while relatively wealthy by developing-world standards, has been suffering through a chronic shortfall of everything from groceries to asthma inhalers, resulting in desperate lines of shoppers and a healthy black market trade in kitchen staples like flour.

As a general rule the most successful man in life is the man who has the best information.

Re: US Attempts to Destabilise Venezuela Post Chavez

Remember when you first learned what socialism was and somebody explained that it was nice in theory, but bad in practice? Here's the sort of thing they were talking about.

Venezuela is now suffering from a government-induced toilet paper shortage. The situation has become politically dire enough that the government has promised to import 50 million rolls to calm shoppers.
For those familiar with the Bolivarian Republic's less-than-sterling economic record of late, this won't come as a surprise. The country, while relatively wealthy by developing-world standards, has been suffering through a chronic shortfall of everything from groceries to asthma inhalers, resulting in desperate lines of shoppers and a healthy black market trade in kitchen staples like flour.

My friend is back from Venezuela,they bought toilet rolls, tooth paste and shower gel from various vendors alongside the side of the road, they bring it all in from Panama apparently!

History is the only true teacher, the revolution the best school for the proletariat - Rosa Luxembourg

Re: US Attempts to Destabilise Venezuela Post Chavez

My friend is back from Venezuela,they bought toilet rolls, tooth paste and shower gel from various vendors alongside the side of the road, they bring it all in from Panama apparently!

I have no doubt your friend was able to buy rolls etc. from the private sector. The problem is that he is supposed to buy them from the Government stores, where the shelves are increasingly empty of many staples, ala Soviet Union pre break up, or Mugabe’s Zimbabwe. Venezuela Faces Shortages in Grocery Staples - NYTimes.com

www.nytimes.com/.../venezuela-faces-shortages-in-grocery-staples.html?...
Apr 20, 2012 – With Venezuelan Food Shortages, Some Blame Price Controls ... outside a government-subsidized store in the Santa Rosalía neighborhood for ... lining up before dawn to buy a single frozen chicken before the stock runs out.

As a general rule the most successful man in life is the man who has the best information.

Re: US Attempts to Destabilise Venezuela Post Chavez

The 2002 documentary

During their filming, the crew recorded images of the events that they say contradict explanations given by Chávez's opposition, the private media, the US State Department, and then White House Press Secretary Ari Fleischer. The documentary says that the coup was the result of a conspiracy between various old guard and anti-Chávez factions within Venezuela and the United States.

Re: US Attempts to Destabilise Venezuela Post Chavez

Originally Posted by C. Flower

Nothing there, Count.

Couldn't find that WaPo piece, but here's the gist from a more partisan right wing source. Contrary to your thread title, post Chavez, the US has made attempts to reset the relationship with Venezuela, but seems it suits Maduro to continue to refer to Obama as "The Grand Chief of the Devils".

On the margins of a multilateral summit in Guatemala last week, Secretary of State John Kerry met with Venezuelan Foreign Minister Elias Jose Jaua, marking the Obama administration's latest attempt to reset relations with the South American nation. What's worrisome is that Secretary Kerry's enthusiasm to find, in his words, a "new way forward" with Venezuela could end up legitimizing Chavez-successor Nicolas Maduro's quest for power and undermining the country's democratic opposition and state institutions

Maduro is no slouch when it comes to throwing around conspiracies, and not just about the US. Here's a few he has been peddling, documented over a short period of time.

Since our previous post we have continued to track the conspiracy theories forwarded by the Maduro government.

April 17, Maduro argues that problems of high inflation and shortages of goods are due to an “economic war” waged against the country. See also declarations a month later. On May 11 the Minister of Agriculture, Iván Gil, declared that the government is facing “a problem of sabotage in the process of food products distribution with the purpose of destabilizing the Bolivarian government.”

April 19, Maduro claims that his government has defeated the latest “phase of a coup d’état.” He argues that “there is no opposition in Venezuela, but only a permanent conspiracy supported by the United States.”
April 26, In a news conference Interior and Justices Minister Miguel Rodríguez Torres reveals that the government has detained a US citizen named Timoty Hallet Tracy that, according to the Minister, belongs to a US “intelligence organization” and that had been handing out money to “students and parties of the right with the aim of generating violence.” Tracy is still detained pending trial.

April 25, Two days before his arrest, state television (VTV) aired news claiming that Antonio Rivero was a CIA agent that had been recruited by the US State Department three years ago, with the aim of “denouncing the supposed ´cubanization´ of the FANB”. VTV shows a video of Rivero participating in the post April 14 election protests and giving instructions to protestors. Rivero has since then been granted a conditional release pending his trial:

May 4, Maduro claims that “sectors of the right” are in cahoots with former president of Colombia Alvaro Uribe and paramilitary mercenaries that are “trying to penetrate the country through jungle trails.” Maduro had also accuses Uribe of being behind the murder of Johnny González, a sports journalist shot in Caracas.

May 4, Maduro calls US President Obama “chief of the devils,” and alerts “all independent governments of a plan by the North American government to produce what has been called ´The War of the Dogs´ in Venezuela, to justify an imperialist intervention.”

May 4, On national television, Maduro accuses opposition Mayor of Caracas Antonio Ledezma of being a “traitor to the fatherland” for meeting Mayors of the Miami area, and calls the on the General Attorney (Fiscal General) to open an investigation on him: “We cannot accept someone asking for the interventions of a country like the US in internal matters.” On May 8, Socialist party representatives denounce that on his trip to Miami Ledezma had met with “agents of the spying web of the Israeli Mossad.”

May 6, The new Justice and Interior Minister, Miguel Rodríguez Torres gives details of a “conspiracy plan” that aims at “intoxicating society with fear and destabilization” by making demands for the non-recognition of established institutions. The conspirators include NGOs, political parties, the media, and social media web sites.

May 14, Maduro announces there is a plot to make him quarrel with National Assembly President Diosdado Cabello, and then “physically eliminate” one of the two, so as to blame the survivor for the crime.

May 16, During a visit to the State of Barinas Maduro blames the citizen security problem on the “fascist right”. He declares that he has “no doubt that the right, and external factors, are bringing in groups in order to kidnap and kill for money…they did the same thing by bringing in hard drugs to our barrios, to give away for free to young people.”

Re: US Attempts to Destabilise Venezuela Post Chavez

Originally Posted by Count Bobulescu

Couldn't find that WaPo piece, but here's the gist from a more partisan right wing source. Contrary to your thread title, post Chavez, the US has made attempts to reset the relationship with Venezuela, but seems it suits Maduro to continue to refer to Obama as "The Grand Chief of the Devils".
.http://www.usnews.com/opinion/blogs/...las-opposition

Maduro is no slouch when it comes to throwing around conspiracies, and not just about the US. Here's a few he has been peddling, documented over a short period of time.

Re: US Attempts to Destabilise Venezuela Post Chavez

Is Smilde's role part of the funded "soft war" referred to in the OP ?

Since the OP was written nearly a year ago things have been ramped up to the rather harder prep stage for "citizen uprising"

Really, it gets tiresome watching the same thing over and over again.

In your imagination only.

It's quite funny watching you scouring the earth looking for dirt on the US, and when you fail to find suitable evidence, resorting to innuendo in an attempt to spread FUD.

There's a fundamental fatal flaw in your thesis. You title the thread "Post Chavez" which leaves no doubt about your intended time frame. But you provide zero evidence to support your thesis. In fact you could be accused of deception and misinformation. In the OP you rely on Wikileaks cables which 1: are themselves not "Post Chavez" and 2: refer to an even earlier period, under a different US admin. Your OP is dated about a month after Chavez's death, and makes no mention of any post Chavez US plans.

Dr. Five makes a similar mistake @ # 11.

BBC reporting that Maduro is now pleading with Obama to resolve differences between countries. So much for Grand Chief of the Devils strategy, or maybe not, writing must be on the wall.

As a general rule the most successful man in life is the man who has the best information.

Re: US Attempts to Destabilise Venezuela Post Chavez

It's quite funny watching you scouring the earth looking for dirt on the US, and when you fail to find suitable evidence, resorting to innuendo in an attempt to spread FUD.

There's a fundamental fatal flaw in your thesis. You title the thread "Post Chavez" which leaves no doubt about your intended time frame. But you provide zero evidence to support your thesis. In fact you could be accused of deception and misinformation. In the OP you rely on Wikileaks cables which 1: are themselves not "Post Chavez" and 2: refer to an even earlier period, under a different US admin. Your OP is dated about a month after Chavez's death, and makes no mention of any post Chavez US plans.

Dr. Five makes a similar mistake @ # 11.

BBC reporting that Maduro is now pleading with Obama to resolve differences between countries. So much for Grand Chief of the Devils strategy, or maybe not, writing must be on the wall.

Right back at you with post 2.

Unfortunately, I don't have to scour the earth for examples of US "midwifery". They are constantly in our faces.

“ We cannot withdraw our cards from the game. Were we as silent and mute as stones, our very passivity would be an act. ”— Jean-Paul Sartre